NHL, union talks to go four days in row

NEW YORK — The best that can be said about the ongoing NHL labor negotiations is that they are still going, and will continue for at least a fourth straight day.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The best that can be said about the ongoing NHL labor negotiations is that they are still going, and will continue for at least a fourth straight day.

The league and the locked-out players' association got back together Thursday and accomplished enough over five-plus hours to make plans to meet again Friday.

"I am not going to discuss the negotiations or the substance of what we're talking about," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Thursday on a wind-blown street corner. "I really don't think that would be helpful to the process.

"We have work to do, and my hope is that we can achieve the goal of getting a long-term, fair agreement in place as quickly as possible so we can play hockey."

"All I can tell you is we have been meeting, and we will be meeting again (Friday)," he said. "I can't say more than that. We haven't talked about (the weekend), but if there is something to talk about then I expect we will be."

The lockout reached its 54th day, and this week is considered critical for the season to be saved. The work stoppage is threatening to force the second cancellation of an NHL season in seven years.

Even if an agreement is reached soon, it isn't clear if any of this season's games that have been called off through Nov. 30 can be rescheduled. The NHL has already said a full 82-game season won't be played.

"Every day that passes, I think, is critical for the game and for our fans," Bettman said.